When a pastry chef goes retro: An interview with Chef Bani 

Chef Bani of Miam makes a case for rattan accents, Dutch ovens and an armchair in her kitchen 

As the founder of Miam, the Delhi patisserie known for its Belgian dark chocolate and salted caramel cake, Chef Bani Nanda’s Instagram account has its share of baked treats. But the last two years have also been about creative tablescapes (now an expert at setting tables, she does brand collaborations) and recently, kitchen decor. Nanda, 31, has been collecting crockery for years, is a fan of Le Creuset’s Dutch ovens and has been saving up for the rounded vintage-style Smeg refrigerator she finally brought home a few months ago. Naturally, much thought was also given to the kitchen that housed the above, from ensuring it opens out onto the deck, to designing a custom-made open crockery cabinet and choosing instagrammable paint shades and tiles. Having designed both commercial and personal kitchens, she shares some of her lockdown discoveries and DIY tips for carpenters with us:

As a professional pastry chef, did your workplace influence your home kitchen?

Having designed three Miam kitchens so far, two of them being bigger and more professional, I learnt to plug in functionality and aesthetic. The Miam kitchen also taught me how to follow a pleasing colour palette.

The floor-to-ceiling display of your crockery wasn’t an overnight decision, was it?

I designed this cabinet with my friends who own furniture brand, Lap & Dado. They thought I was crazy when I asked them for an 8x8 ft cabinet. I wanted to keep it open so that I can admire my crockery collection. Glass doors ruin the experience! I clean the crockery cabinet every week and keep most of my everyday serveware and dinnerware in another kitchen inside.

What is often ignored when designing a ‘show’ kitchen at home?

Kitchens have to be super functional, but they can also have character. For example, my kitchen has a desk and an armchair and a few other ‘living room-ish’ elements like a carpet and lamps. It’s personal and that’s the touch people seem to ignore.